M.A.D.E museum is 'uninviting', fails to attract tourists

AN unappealing name, an uninviting sign and being unaware of its existence were cited by tourists as reasons why they would not attend the Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka.

The Courier spent yesterday afternoon interviewing a variety of tourists who were visiting Ballarat and had just completed a day at Sovereign Hill.

While most of the 10 groups of people interviewed planned on spending several days in Ballarat, only one group intended to head to M.A.D.E on their trip.

Every family The Courier approached said the name of the museum turned them off because they believed it would not entertain their children.

Bacchus Marsh resident Natasa Espinosa said she brought her two children to Ballarat for the day and would be taking them to Sovereign Hill and would also be returning for a trip to the Balllarat Wildlife Park.

Ms Espinosa said M.A.D.E didn’t sound like something she could take her children to.

“It just doesn’t sound very exciting,” she said.

“You need something more entertaining for children.”

Dubbo resident Mark Gavel travelled to Ballarat in his caravan, but had driven past the Eureka attraction without knowing what it was about.

“I’d go, but it wouldn’t be on my bucket list,” Mr Gavel said after being told of the attractions at M.A.D.E by The Courier.

Mr Gavel was visiting friends in the city and had already spent time in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens before his visit to Sovereign Hill.

The one group who said they would be visiting M.A.D.E was a couple who were visiting from the Netherlands.

Adrien Jongelen said he had researched M.A.D.E before visiting the city and had always planned to attend.

Of the 10 groups of people, seven had heard of the attraction before arriving in the city.